


Episode 1: Reflection of a Memory

by preferredmethodofprocrastination



Category: Agent Carter (Marvel Short Film), Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: script
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-09-01 15:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8629072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preferredmethodofprocrastination/pseuds/preferredmethodofprocrastination
Summary: Episode 1 of Season 3 of Agent Carter.  I don't own the rights obviously but this is my fantasy of Season 3.





	1. Scene 1

**Author's Note:**

> 1951

(EXT) New York City, 1951. Late Fall, Mid November. People wear long coats and shiny shoes. Everything is shades of black, white, or grey except for that familiar figure - PEGGY CARTER - she is dressed in a navy skirt suit with  crisp white button up blouse. She wears a vibrant red coat with cherry buttons down the front. Her coat sways with every step she takes and she walks with a purpose. Her eyes remain fixed on a point above the camera. As she moves closer and in and out of crowds it becomes apparent that she is holding her gun at her side, trying to be discreet. The passers by do not notice but simply walk past in continuous streams. 

 

(INT) The shot continues from in office building which PEGGY enters. The door is a revolving one, set in the wall of an office atrium. PEGGY pushes the door and it spins. The SHIELD eagle is etched into the glass of each of the three separating panels on the inside of the revolving door. 

 

(INT CONT)The glass windows are tall and narrow like the windows of a cathedral. The light filtering in through the clouds in the sky makes shafts of light and for a moment 

 

A familiar voice - ROSE ROBERTS - speaks.

 

ROSE (OS): Morning, Peg.

The focus of the camera turns around and away from PEGGY and captures the image of the revolving door, spinning aimlessly, not slowing down or speeding up. Outside the sidewalk is eerily empty save for one man. He strides towards the door. He wears a nondescript black suit with expensive Italian leather shoes and a black mask.

 

ROSE: Peg? Are you alright?

 

Slow motion begins and the MASKED MAN’s powerful stride continues to carry him into the door. The image seems to glitch and the Automat’s door is shown for a moment, with ANGIE MARTINELLI taking the place of the strange man. The image flickers back and forth between the image of the Automat’s door and the door of the SHIELD facility until the two have both entered their respective buildings and the image settles on the MASKED MAN.

 

Cue Marvel flipbook and subsequently the AGENT CARTER theme.

 

The camera focuses on PEGGY CARTER. She stands with her feet shoulder width apart, gun pointed at the MASKED MAN’s countenance. He mirrors her exactly in an eery way. The tension is visible. Peggy is, however, unflustered. Her lipstick is bright. Her hair is still perfect. She hasn’t broken a sweat.

 

PEGGY(addressing the MASKED MAN (OS)): Who are you?

 

The camera angle swings out so that the shot is of their profiles, on PEGGY’s, both with guns leveled for a kill shot. They are approximately the same height because of her heels, roughly four inches tall so that PEGGY’s 5’7” can stand up to the MASKED MAN’s 6’1”.

 

MASKED MAN: (speaks in a languid southern accent)

You know precisely who I am, ma’am.

 

PEGGY: You’re the one who killed him. You killed Jack Thompson.

 

MASKED MAN: You’re talking as though you cared for him, Director Carter. No need for false pretense. I know how you hated him.

 

PEGGY: I didn’t like Jack but he didn’t deserve to  _ die _ . To be  _ murdered _ like  _ that _ .

 

MASKED MAN: He blackmailed you. He tried to ruin your career.

 

PEGGY: With a file that was an obvious fake. It wasn’t him. It was someone else pulling his strings.

 

PEGGY pauses and takes a step forward, once she has settled into position again she cocks her head just slightly to the left. The MASKED MAN cocks his head to the right.

 

PEGGY: Who do you work for, Agent? Who is pulling your strings?

 

MASKED MAN(sincerely):You are the only person in the world who can pull my strings, Director Carter.

 

The MASKED MAN holds up his hands in a gesture of surrender and receives no reaction from PEGGY. He holsters his weapon. She keeps hers leveled at his face.

 

MASKED MAN(makes appropriate pantomime along with his words): Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.

 

The MASKED MAN turns and leaves. The shot follows him out as he walks straight out without being stopped, even as sirens wail outside. He is soon out of sight. 

 

The shot zooms back in and around, turning towards PEGGY, to encompass the entire glass atrium, full of no less than a hundred agents of SHIELD pointing their weapons at the place where the MASKED MAN once stood. The shot zooms in further to focus on PEGGY from the front. She stands firm, with a thousand yard stare as she lowers her weapon. DANIEL SOUSA, ROSE ROBERTS, ALOYSIUS SAMBERLY, and many others follow her example. The agents disperse with some terse whispers towards elevators and stairs. The sirens fade. 

 

(BG) ROSE and SAMBERLY talk.

 

ROSE: Why don’t you go back to work now, Aloysius.

 

SAMBERLY:Yes ma’am, Agent Rogers.

 

(FG) DANIEL rubs his temples and looks relieved.

 

SOUSA: Four years and a new decade and they still won’t leave us in peace.

 

PEGGY(exasperated): There is no “they”, Daniel. He’s independant of any organization. They’ve had four years to claim him, and not one of them has.

 

PEGGY leans against the front desk so that she is facing the door. She has her back to SOUSA and her hip cocked.

 

SOUSA: I wish that he would leave us alone.

 

SOUSA looks at PEGGY with a strange and distant longing. She stands looking out into the distance and it is obvious that this is a common occurrence. He places his left hand on her shoulder and goes to whisper something in her ear. She squeezes his hand with her own and their matching wedding rings are visible. She brushes his hand off and walks away before he can say anything. ROSE follows her closely. They go towards the stairs together as SOUSA and SAMBERLY both head for the elevator. SOUSA looks back at PEGGY, but she does not meet his eyes.

 

ROSE: How are you two doing?

 

PEGGY stops mid step on the third or fourth step and turns to face ROSE. 

 

PEGGY(sharply): Why do you ask?

 

ROSE: No reason.

 

PEGGY turns around and continues up the stairs.

 

PEGGY(coldly): Then don’t ask.

 

ROSE does not speak for a long moment of climbing, but instead opens and closes her mouth like a fish, unsure whether she wants to open a can of worms.

 

ROSE: Peg, you can’t just ignore that there’s something wrong. You need to talk about it. 

 

The two of them exit the stairwell on the third floor of the SHIELD facility. The place is the traditional bullpen, like in the SSR, but more open and airy. ROSE and PEGGY pass SOUSA without acknowledgement. PEGGY remains silent and grim as they move past him and refuses to look at him. ROSE and PEGGY continue to an office in the back marked “Carter”. PEGGY throws open the door and when ROSE follows her inside PEGGY slams it shut and turns the lock before resting her hands on her hips.

 

ROSE: When are you going to stop giving everyone the silent treatment? You won’t talk to me, or Jason. You won’t talk to Angie. You won’t talk to the Commandos. Phillips can’t get a peep out of you when he calls beyond, “yes sir, no sir, of course sir”. Even Howard...

 

PEGGY: Stop.

 

ROSE: And to make matters worse you won’t speak to your husband.

 

(BG) SOUSA’ voice becomes loud and insistent outside the door.

 

SOUSA: What did I tell you Valdez? I told you I needed that paperwork today! I told you I needed you to do your research on Corsica! I told you to do your independent study in the library! Did you do that? No! Why do I always have to baby you…

 

SOUSA’s voice fades out as he walks away.

 

PEGGY looks out the window for a contemplative moment and static crackles quietly behind the little office noises that filter through the door. She turns around and sits in the desk. She takes a key from around her neck, unlocks the drawer directly in front of her. It slides open and she pulls out a file. She flips it so that ROSE can read it right side up and folds her hands neatly on the desk. 

 

PEGGY: Benito Martinelli.

 

The name is written across the top of the file in PEGGY’s neat script. ROSE opens the file and rifles through pictures of various burned out cars and a man in his early thirties. ROSE bends over the desk to read the file. After a moment of squinting ROSE shakes her head and takes out her reading glasses. In the text section a few things are focused on for long enough to read. His nickname is BENNY. He has light eyes and medium brown hair. His war record glares at ROSE but, much like many of PEGGY’s files, nearly the entire thing is redacted and blacked out.

 

ROSE(confused): You think it was Benito Martinelli? He Angie’s big brother?

 

PEGGY: No it wasn’t him. But he’s becoming a person of interest. Yes, he’s her older brother.

 

ROSE(incredulously and pointing towards the door in reference to the MASKED MAN): But who was that?

 

PEGGY(with a small cough): I don’t know.

 

ROSE: But he said he knew you. He said he “worked” for you.

 

ROSE gestures forcefully at the door and PEGGY throws up her hands.

 

PEGGY: Benito Martinelli is supposed to be dead. He was sick on the day of the mission that killed my brother.

 

PEGGY finds one picture out of the few collected there and points to it. It is of BENNY MARTINELLI dressed in a military uniform. He stands next to MICHAEL CARTER. 

 

ROSE: Isn’t that your brother?

 

PEGGY: Yes. He and Martinelli worked together for a short time at the start of the war. Benito was an asset for infiltrating fascist organizations in Italy. My brother ran him from London while Martinelli was on mainland Europe.

 

ROSE: How did you not know that Angie’s brother worked with yours?

 

PEGGY: I knew about Benny, not Benito Martinelli.

 

ROSE pauses and sighs. She rolls her eyes and bites the bullet, opening her mouth.

 

ROSE: Have you ever talked to Angie about it?

 

There is a long pause. PEGGY shuffles all of the pictures of BENNY MARTINELLI back into the folder and stows it in the drawer.

 

ROSE: I forgot. You only talk business now.

 

PEGGY: I think Benny has a vendetta against a Russian doctor.

 

ROSE: Well I’m sure there are enough crazed Russian docs to go around.

 

PEGGY: Vasily Karpov is a slippery bastard. We haven’t even been able to get any surveillance photos of him. He was responsible for a couple of incidents regarding Angie’s other brothers. Not only that but he was neck deep in Hydra operations during the war. I can’t fathom why Russia didn’t exile him or kill him on sight.

 

ROSE: How many secret brothers does Angie have?

 

PEGGY: 5. Total. Counting the dead ones. But I wouldn’t put it past Mrs. Martinelli to have another son hidden away in the woodwork.

 

ROSE: So Vasily Karpov killed some Martinelli brothers and now he’s what...?

 

PEGGY: Now Benny’s tracked him down. And he only killed two brothers. Angelo and Cesare. 

 

ROSE: So talk to him. If he wants Karpov dead then maybe he’ll allow you to help him with his personal vendetta.

 

PEGGY stands and moved behind her desk, she grasps the back of it and rocks up onto her toes.

 

PEGGY: If I just ask him about it he’ll clam up. We’ve tried to get him to talk to other agents.

 

ROSE: And he’s sealed his lips.

 

ROSE takes a thoughtful pause. She purses her lips and furrows her brow.

 

ROSE: November 22nd is coming up.

 

PEGGY: What does that have to do with anything?

 

ROSE: It’s Thanksgiving. Everyone comes home for Thanksgiving.

 

PEGGY(scoffing): Everyone American.

 

ROSE(incredulous): Oh yes. What a pity you’re not a citizen of the United States of America. Oh wait.

 

PEGGY: Being a citizen and being “American” are two completely different things.

 

ROSE(tisk-ing): Are you still bitter about the tea in the harbor bit?

 

PEGGY(smiling): I’ll never be over the tea in the harbor bit.

 

ROSE laughs softly. She looks wistfully at PEGGY.

 

ROSE: See there you are. Underneath that mask. You’re still you.

 

PEGGY looks down and taps her fingers on the desk.

 

PEGGY: So you want me to get invited to Martinelli Thanksgiving so that I can more easily interrogate Benito?

 

ROSE: No. I want you to have Thanksgiving with your husband. I want you two to figure out what is wrong between you...

 

PEGGY interrupts violently. She slams her hand open onto the desk and it thumps loudly. ROSE flinches.

 

PEGGY: Nothing is wrong between us!

 

ROSE(softly to the point of being almost inaudible): Then why did you move out?

 

PEGGY: For incredibly personal reasons.

 

ROSE: Did he cheat on you?

 

PEGGY: No!

 

ROSE: Did you cheat on him?

 

PEGGY(outraged):What do you think of me? Rose? I’ve known you for as long as I’ve known Daniel. Do you really think I’d stoop as low as to cheat on him?

 

ROSE(frustrated):I don’t know anymore, Peggy. I don’t know you. I don’t know if I’ve known you since you married him, since you started SHIELD. Three years, Peggy.

 

PEGGY: Rose...

  
ROSE(glum): You’re a shadow, Peggy. You’re a reflection of the person I used to know.


	2. Scene 2

(EXT) The scene is familiar once more. The outside of the Automat. The inside is slowing down from the bustle of a dinner shift and PEGGY stands in front of the window, staring into the eyes of her reflection. PEGGY wears uncharacteristically muted pink lipstick and a grey business suit. She has a handbag in front of her, clasped between her hands. Behind her reflection is ANGIE MARTINELLI. She is cheerful, her eyes bright, her hair done a little differently than before. She chats up a male customer and laughs at something he says. She doesn’t see PEGGY.

 

(INT) PEGGY enters the Automat and sits down in a booth. The click of her heels draws attention. She fiddles with her wedding band. ANGIE turns and wipes her hands on a clean cloth before seeing PEGGY there. The camera switches so that PEGGY is being observed rather than ANGIE. Her profile looks nervous. She purses her lips and checks the clock and her watch, but doesn’t look at ANGIE once she has sat down. 

 

ANGIE approaches reverently but with purpose. She leans against the back of the booth and smiles down at PEGGY.

 

PEGGY: Angie.

 

ANGIE: Hush, English. Lemme get a good look at you.

 

ANGIE takes PEGGY’s face in her hands and PEGGY sighs softly. Her fingers brush over PEGGY’s eyelids and barely touch her lips. 

 

PEGGY(smiling softly): Why?

 

ANGIE releases PEGGY’s face with a pat on the cheek and shakes her head in disbelief.

 

ANGIE: Only cause I haven’t seen you since  _ opening night _ of The Curious Savage . 

 

PEGGY looks away, slightly ashamed.

 

PEGGY: You know how busy work keeps me.

 

ANGIE (tersely): The  _ phone _ company.

 

PEGGY pauses slightly, but looks ANGIE full in the face when she replies.

 

PEGGY: Not the phone company, Angie.

 

ANGIE sits down suddenly. Her hand goes to PEGGY’s and clutches it.

 

ANGIE (sarcastically): Are you finally gonna tell me what the hell it is you do all day and night?

 

PEGGY: Only if you tell me why you still work here.

 

ANGIE (nodding thoughtfully): Fair deal.

 

ANGIE and PEGGY speak almost on top of one another. PEGGY closes her eyes and ANGIE squeezes hers shut, as if both are children ripping off band aids.

 

PEGGY: I run an intelligence agency.

 

ANGIE: I was afraid I’d never see you again if I didn’t stay here.

 

ANGIE pauses, blinks.

 

ANGIE: What intelligence agency? Please tell me they aren’t letting you run the FBI!

 

When PEGGY says SHIELD’s initials she nods her head with every word.

 

PEGGY: No. I don’t run the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They wouldn’t let me run anything that high profile right off the bat. I run the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division.

 

ANGIE: That’s one helluva mouthful, English.

 

PEGGY: Yes. It is.

 

ANGIE: You take a plane from DC just to see me, English?

 

PEGGY(hesitant): No. I’m delighted to be able to see you, but I need to convince your brother to help me.

 

ANGIE: Who? Ciro?

 

PEGGY: No. Benito. He’s gotten himself into some trouble that I can get him out of.

 

ANGIE: Is someone threatening Benny?

 

PEGGY: No. No, Angie. Quite the opposite. I just need to get some time with him, to show him SHIELD…

 

ANGIE: Shield?

 

When PEGGY says SHIELD’s initials she nods her head with every word.

 

PEGGY (automatically): The Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division.

 

ANGIE: Oh. Right.

 

PEGGY: I need to show him we aren’t a threat to him or the rest of your family. I want to help him with his… shall we say… vendetta… 

 

ANGIE: Well. Ma’s always wanted to meet you and Nonna’s always ready to meet someone new. Come to Thanksgiving with that husband of yours.

 

PEGGY: I’d be delighted to, but I’m afraid Daniel is spoken for.

 

ANGIE: His ma wants him home, doesn’t she?

 

PEGGY: Yes.

 

ANGIE: Too bad he can’t come. Benny needs someone to roughhouse with before Abe and Fonzie and Ciro get there.

 

ANGIE pauses and smiles wistfully at PEGGY.

 

ANGIE: I missed you, English.

 

PEGGY: I missed you too, Angie.

  
ANGIE leans over and kisses PEGGY on the forehead. The gesture is seen as sweet and sisterly to much of the outside world. No one bats an eyelid at the two old friends reunion, but the melody of “The Way You Look Tonight” intermingles with the lilting music of the radio. The camera pans out. PEGGY rests her head against ANGIE’s shoulder. ANGIE pulls her closer.


	3. Scene 3

(EXT) PEGGY walks away from the Automat. The camera follows her from in front far enough out to see all of her. Her eyes rest on the ground. The far from empty streets are full of the lonely sound of the wind. Peggy walks between rows of old brownstones. Rickety rusted fire escapes rattle in the wind and Peggy wraps her coat more firmly around herself. Leaves whisk this way and that, parting before her like a sea.

 

(EXT) PEGGY turns the corner of a building, walks up a flight of stairs and takes a key out of her purse. 

 

(INT) She opens the door to the apartment STEVE ROGERS once owned. PEGGY sighs heavily at the thick layer of dust covering most of the room.

 

PEGGY: I’m here.

 

PEGGY drops her handbag and slides down the door. She lands on the welcome mat with a soft thud, disturbing the dust of years from its resting place. The wind outside whistles.

 

PEGGY: Come and get me. 

 

PEGGY reaches up and locks the door. The edge of a picture peers from her purse. She grabs it, presses it to her chest and closes her eyes. A tear squeezes itself from the corner of her eye.

 

PEGGY: Make your peace with me you silly man. And leave me alone to get on with my life.

 

PEGGY pulls the picture out into view of the camera. Pre Serum STEVE ROGERS at Camp Leigh. She throws it aimlessly across the floor. It spins and settles into the dust in front of a doorway.

 

*****************************

 

(INT) PEGGY sleeps and dreams. She twitches and her eyes move behind their lids. The camera moves Towards her and, seeming to go inside her head the shot changes.

 

(EXT) The camera faces her head on, PEGGY is no longer in a shabby, dusty apartment in New York, but a barren winter forest. She wears her SSR jumpsuit. She is covered in mud from mid-calf down, out of breath, sweating bullets. Her exhalation is visible in the air. 

 

Machine gun fire spits into the air. Two or three of the trees around her burst with the force of the rounds hitting their trunks. They shatter like glass into the carpet of needles and snow at her feet. PEGGY drops to the ground and ducks, covering her head. The gunfire stops for a split second and PEGGY pulls out her own gun to shoots back at her attackers. Her eyes are wild. She shoots six times. There is a shout of pain. Two soldiers fall into the camera frame. They are German, not Hydra, just regular Nazis.

 

PEGGY looks down at her uniform. Blood spreads in a stain down from her shoulder from two separate wounds. She claps her hand to the wound and winces.

 

PEGGY: Steve?

 

The shot distorts, from PEGGY’s point of view. The edges of her vision blur. Her heartbeat is audible.

 

PEGGY: Steve!

 

PEGGY stumbles to her feet and begins to run away from the dead Nazis. Her breathing becomes more and more labored. 

 

PEGGY: Steve?

 

DUGAN comes into sharp focus as the point of view switches to outside of PEGGY’s consciousness. PEGGY is very pale from the outside. The blood runs freely down her front and pulses alarmingly from beneath her hand.

 

DUGAN: Carter what the hell are you doing? Stop!

 

PEGGY staggers into DUGAN’s arms and he holds her upright.

 

JONES: Carter!

 

FALSWORTH: She’s been hit!

 

The Commandos converge on PEGGY. STEVE and BARNES are notably absent from the shot. The present Commandos look baffled and help PEGGY towards one of their big trucks. DUGAN supports PEGGY on her uninjured side while GABE grabs a medical kit out of the back of one of the trucks.

 

There is half a beat of time before a red white and blue figure carrying the shield runs past the commandos and PEGGY towards the woods from whence PEGGY came. 

 

BARNES: Steve!

 

A shadow that is meant to be BARNES rushes past them. DUGAN turns and watches as the two men run away into the distance.

 

DUGAN: He’s gonna kill them.

 

JONES: If Carter had anything to do with it, they’re already dead.

 

The shot fades out with DUGAN and JONES performing first aid on PEGGY in the back of the truck. Gunfire rattles in the distance and the ringing sound of metal against metal cuts through the dreamlike sounds.

 

PEGGY (groggily): If he dies I’ll kill him myself.

 

DUGAN: He’s not dying today, Carter.

 

JONES: Nobody’s dying today.

 

JONES stuffs gauze into PEGGY’s wound and she grits her teeth and groans.

 

*****************************

 

PEGGY starts awake violently and groans. The sound of metal clanking on metal outside echoes the sounds in the dream. PEGGY touches her right shoulder gingerly, probing the injuries that have long since healed. She pulls herself to her feet and wobbles.

 

PEGGY: I guess not today.

 

PEGGY stands for a moment. She squeezes her eyes shut and rolls her head from side to side. There is an old wooden chair to her left. She picks it up and throws it violently. It crashes against an internal wall and breaks apart. 

 

PEGGY: Come and face me you bloody coward!

 

PEGGY leaves the apartment. She slams the door behind her, as seen from an angle at which the photo of STEVE can be recognized, lying limply on the floor.


	4. Scene 4

(INT)DANIEL sits alone at a dusty bar. The barkeep pours him another drink and shakes his head. 

 

DANIEL: What, Arnie?

 

ARNIE places his hands on the bartop and shakes his head at DANIEL. His left hand is made out of wood.

 

ARNIE: You’ve been coming here more often than usual Agent Sousa.

 

DANIEL: Yeah and you need the business.

 

DANIEL motions to the almost empty bar. There is a young couple kissing in the back left corner.

 

ARNIE: Nah. You’re just workin them crazy SHIELD hours. I do fine, you just drink too early or too late.

 

DANIEL: Do the other SHIELD guys really come in this dump?

 

DANIEL gestures with his glass languidly. ARNIE scoffs at him.

 

ARNIE: Pfft. Yeah. I’m the best bar on the block!

 

DANIEL (pointing at ARNIE): You’re the closest bar on the block.

 

ARNIE: If you wanna get technical,  _ Agent _ Sousa, I am the only bar on the block.

 

Both men smile and ARNIE refills DANIEL’S glass and pours himself one.

 

DANIEL: Glad we settled that.

 

ARNIE: Do you ever go home? Don’t you got a wife, Danny boy?

 

DANIEL: Yes. I’m married.

 

DANIEL downs his drink and ARNIE whistles through his teeth uncomfortably. He sets down his own drink and taps his fingers on the bartop.

 

ARNIE: Ooh. THat was a bitter reply. You want another bourbon?

 

DANIEL: Yeah, I do.

 

DANIEL holds out his glass for a refill and ARNIE obliges. The young couple making out in the corner exit, giggling hysterically. ARNIE shrugs and goes over, collecting their dirty things, a mug for beer and a champagne glass, both empty but for dregs. He grabs the wad of cash the young man left and stuff it in the front of his apron. DANIEL ignores ARNIE while he does this and while he approaches the bar again. DANIEL stares into his glass at the watery image of himself at the bottom.

 

ARNIE: So… you’re Catholic, aren’t you?

 

DANIEL: Yeah. Or close to it.

 

ARNIE: Consider me your confessor for tonight.

 

DANIEL: Nah, Arnie. I really don’t wanna talk about it.

 

ARNIE: Did you cheat on her, Dan?

 

DANIEL spits out his drink all over ARNIE and shakes his head vigorously.

 

DANIEL: God! Christ! No! No Way!

 

ARNIE wipes spit off his face and cleans it off the counter.

 

ARNIE: Okay, buddy, okay. Not too farfetched, ya know. Some of the guys in here get a new girl every week.

 

DANIEL rolls his eyes good naturedly.

 

DANIEL: No one cheated, it’s just...

 

DANIEL trails off and wipes his nose with his left hand. His runs his right hand over his hair. ARNIE leans forward once more, ready to listen, waiting for DANIEL to continue.

 

ARNIE: What?

 

DANIEL: We both have the war dreams.

 

DANIEL reaches down and repositions his leg which was slipping off the barstool.

 

ARNIE: The  _ nightmares _ .

 

ARNIE turns to the shelf behind him looks at the picture. On it is a picture of him with a gun in each hand, blowing smoke off the tips. He stands in front of a field full of bomb craters, a few buddies are lounging about in the background, eating rations and drinking directly out of bottles of wine. ARNIE touches his wooden hand and nods, turning back to DANIEL.

 

DANIEL: Yeah. Like the kind they tell you to watch out for, cause guys off themselves and all...

 

ARNIE: Soldier’s heart. Combat exhaustion.

 

DANIEL (nodding): Yeah.

 

ARNIE: I got a cousin. He had that real bad. Says it's better if you talk to someone about it.

 

DANIEL (smiling weakly): My wife’s… um… uh… a proud person.

 

ARNIE (nods his head in agreement): She won’t talk to you.

 

DANIEL: No. It’s not that.

 

ARNIE: What did she do?

 

DANIEL: She had a guy during the war… who am I kidding? The guy during the war, he was everything. He was good, he was kind. He was a freakin hero, and he was from New York. Brooklyn. He was a poor kid from Brooklyn. Hell, the fella even saved my life. He died and she… well she got ridiculed a lot ‘cause guys thought she slept her way to the top. If anything it was the other way round cause he was the little guy and then she and this doc got him all… he died. She got shot and so she has these dreams all the time and… she screams his name.

 

ARNIE: And you kicked her out?

 

DANIEL: No! No!

 

ARNIE: She left?

 

DANIEL: She banished herself from our house. She said she needed to “work it out on her own”. She’s treating it like she’s diseased. Like if she quarantines herself she’ll reduce the amount of damage she does to her friends, her family.

 

ARNIE: You said she was stubborn, didn’t you?

 

DANIEL: It has been four and a half weeks weeks since my wife slept in our bed. She’s stubborn all right. 

 

DANIEL pauses, takes a slow drink of his bourbon and rubs his temples.

 

ARNIE: She’s determined not to hurt you.

 

DANIEL: I don’t care that she screams his name in her sleep. I don’t care but it’s not like it doesn’t matter. He mattered to her, he still matters to her and so he matters to me. I just want her to be able to look back on memories of him with fondness. Is that ridiculous? For me to want her to remember her wartime lover?

  
ARNIE: No, It’s not ridiculous.


	5. Scene 5

(INT) DANIEL enters a house and closes and locks the door behind him. He rubs his brow and hangs up his crutch. He limps through the kitchen and sits down on at the table in the adjacent dining room. 

 

PEGGY walks into the dining room behind him with a rucksack slung over her shoulder. She still wears her navy skirt suit but her feet are bare and she holds her shoes in the hand that is unoccupied with holding one of the straps of her rucksack.

  
  


DANIEL bends down and drags is pant leg up until his entire false leg is exposed. He unbuckles it and hisses as he slides it off.

 

PEGGY: Are you having the phantom leg pain again?

 

DANIEL nearly falls off the chair when PEGGY speaks. He grabs the sides of it and steadies himself.

 

DANIEL: JESUS!

 

PEGGY moves closer and sets down her rucksack.

 

PEGGY: Sorry. Should have announced myself.

 

DANIEL rubs his chest and smiles a little.

 

DANIEL: Damn right you should have, Peg! You scared the hell outta me!

 

PEGGY (sincerely): Sorry. I wish you’d tell me when it bothers you. Someone else can work with Valdez tomorrow if you need a break.

 

DANIEL: I don’t want anyone else taking Valdez. Last time someone else was in charge of Valdez he damn near shot himself in the foot.

 

PEGGY squints and sniffs the air.

 

PEGGY: Are you drunk, Daniel?

 

DANIEL: Yeah. Okay. I’m drunk.

 

PEGGY: Would you like to go to North Carolina with me?

 

DANIEL: I must be drunker than I thought. Why North Carolina?

 

PEGGY: I’m checking out a candidate. I was hoping to bring you along. We are going to a Cherokee reservation.

 

DANIEL: Sorry, Peg. My Cherokee sort of is rusty.

 

PEGGY: I know. There’s no one at SHIELD who even knows what the language is called, let alone speaks or writes in it.

 

DANIEL: Are you sure it wouldn’t be better to go alone or send someone?

 

PEGGY: No. I’d like to go and take you with me.

 

DANIEL: Alright. Whatever you think is best, Director.

 

PEGGY: I took the liberty of packing your things for you. We leave in three hours.

 

DANIEL: It's the middle of the night!

 

PEGGY: It’s three in the morning, darling. In three hours it will be six, which is a perfectly reasonable time to be getting up.

 

DANIEL: I will be hungover.

 

PEGGY: Not if you have cup of coffee with me before we get to the hanger.

 

DANIEL shakes his head and smiles.

 

DANIEL: Alright. You said you packed me a bag?

 

PEGGY: Yes. It’s upstairs. I can get it for you.

 

PEGGY stands and goes towards the stairs. DANIEL holds out his arm in a “stop” motion.

 

DANIEL: Wait, Peg.

 

PEGGY turns around, cocks her hip and waits for him to speak.

 

PEGGY: What?

 

DANIEL looks bashful. PEGGY approaches with a small sad smile on her face.

 

DANIEL: I can get my own bag if you help me with the leg.

 

PEGGY: I’ll get it for you, my love.

 

PEGGY leans down and kisses DANIEL’s forehead.

 

DANIEL: Do you understand why I’m confused, Peggy?

 

PEGGY: What are you confused about? We are going to North Carolina for two days. There’s a potential hire we need to scout and I’m…

 

DANIEL interrupts PEGGY and begins to get angry.

 

DANIEL: You moved out, Peg. And now you’re here, and you’re asking me how my leg is. You kissed me. And then you’re asking me to have coffee with you like we don’t even know each other and it feels like we took one thousand steps back. You used to talk to me about the things we did during the war. 

 

PEGGY closes her eyes and purses her lips.

 

PEGGY: Daniel.

 

DANIEL: You used to talk to me about your dreams and your fears and the things that you wanted and now you’ve relapsed and the dreams are worse. You know what made them better before and you know it wasn’t cutting yourself off or trying to forget him.

 

PEGGY: Daniel…

 

DANIEL is now furious. 

 

DANIEL: And  _ now _ you won’t address the subject because it doesn’t suit you. I never picked you for the drama queen type, Peggy. Is it Angie or Howard Stark that I have to thank for my wife becoming the stranger she is today?

 

PEGGY: Daniel.

 

DANIEL slams his fist down onto the kitchen table.

 

DANIEL: Say something other than my name! For god’s sake! Say anything other than my name.

  
  


DANIEL clenches and unclenches his fist, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm down.

 

PEGGY: I’m going to be working on Thanksgiving.

 

DANIEL looks relieved. PEGGY is talking once more and he isn’t screaming at her.

 

DANIEL: That’s too bad. I’m sure the kids are going to miss you.

 

PEGGY: Do you want me to help you get your leg? Or would you prefer if I got your bag?

 

DANIEL: Can you help me with the leg?

 

PEGGY: Of course I can.

  
PEGGY kneels down and slips the leg over DANIEL’s stump with practiced ease. She grabs the laces before he can and snugs them up. She looks up at him, a silent question of whether they are too tight. DANIEL shakes his head and she ties the laces in a snug bow. She rolls his pant leg down over the prosthetic and stands, brushing off her knees. DANIEL stands and watches her as she leaves the room. 


	6. Scene 6

(INT)Peggy and Daniel sit across from one another on a plane. The window outside shows streaks of cloud and the sky beyond that is pink with the dawn. Peggy holds a cup of tea and Daniel a cup of coffee. They sit intermittently.

 

DANIEL: I’ll have to tell the kids about this trip. They’ll love that I’ve been to an Indian reservation.

 

PEGGY: It is rather an enchanting thought I suppose, especially when you’re young.

 

DANIEL: Is it supposed to be hot there? I wouldn’t have known what to pack.

 

PEGGY: I packed you plenty of Hawaiian print shirts. Have you really never been out of New York?

 

DANIEL: I have but mostly to go upstate. I went to Niagara falls once. Does that count? Did you pack anything fun or is this an all work and no play trip?

 

Peggy stifles laughter.

 

PEGGY: You know Ana won’t let me leave her sight without a new article of clothing, work trip or no.

 

DANIEL: Did you pack you something colorful?

 

PEGGY: It’s floral.

 

DANIEL: Is it red?

 

PEGGY: It has red.

 

DANIEL: You know how good you look in red.

 

PEGGY: Yes, I do. And I know how charming you are when I wear red. There must be some kind of correlation.

 

PILOT: Director Carter, Agent Sousa, we’ll be landing in Charlotte in twenty minutes. There’s a car waiting for you.

 

PEGGY: Thank you, Marie.

 

DANIEL: Thank you, Marie.

 

PEGGY: I was thinking we could go to the beach while we’re on our way back.

 

DANIEL: I don’t know if anyone here wants to see my legs out on a beautiful white sand beach. And it’s November, Peg. It’s cold.

 

PEGGY: Cold is relative and it’s better than New York this time of year. And I want to see your legs out on a beautiful white sand beach.

 

DANIEL: The feeling is mutual but I didn’t pack…

 

PEGGY: Wrong. I packed you a suit.

 

DANIEL: Pegs.

 

PEGGY: You’ve never seen me in a bathing suit.

 

DANIEL: It’s tempting, Peg. It’s Adam and Eve tempting.

 

PEGGY: Only the fruit isn’t forbidden and it has lovely polka dots all over it.

 

DANIEL: Alright, let’s go to the beach.

 

PEGGY: Thank you.

 

DANIEL: What?

 

PEGGY: For going with me.

 

DANIEL: Why do you think you need to thank me?

 

PEGGY: Because of how I’ve been acting.

 

DANIEL: The dreams aren’t your fault, Peggy.

 

PEGGY (softly): Thank you.

 

DANIEL: You’re welcome, Pegs.

 

(EXT) the shot zooms out of the plane and looks down on

Charlotte.


	7. Scene 7

(INT) PEGGY and DANIEL are getting dressed. There are two mirrors in their hotel room, maybe ten by fifteen feet with a bed in the middle. PEGGY uses the mirror on the left and DANIEL uses the righthand one. The shot watches them as if from the “audience”, in the doorway of the room. 

DANIEL finishes tying his bowtie as the shot fades in. He wears a pale pinstriped shirt and dark pants. He straightens the tie and peers at PEGGY in the mirror as the shot changes focus to her.

 

PEGGY shimmies into a black floral number with red and blue flowers on it. It falls past her knees and ties around the back like a halter top. 

 

DANIEL shrugs on his suit jacket and turns towards PEGGY. He loses his breath. PEGGY hears and turns towards him, an incredulous eyebrow raised. DANIEL places a hand over his heart and she rolls her eyes. A smile creeps onto her lips as he gapes. She turns back around and offers him the ends of the halter top.

 

PEGGY: Will you tie me up?

 

DANIEL: Yes. 

 

PEGGY turns around and looks at DANIEL. His hands tremble a little bit.

 

DANIEL: I don’t get why Howard hasn’t bullied you into starring in one of his pictures yet.

 

PEGGY: Believe me, he’s tried and failed.

 

PEGGY reaches down and straps a knife to her left thigh. She checks the gun on her right one. DANIEL smirks. They leave the hotel room, PEGGY switching the lights off as they leave. The room grows dark and the door closes behind them and for six seconds nothing happens. PEGGY locks the door from the outside. 

 

A gloved hand reaches up over the window ledge and slides a knife in between the window and the sill. The latch trips and another hand pushes the window upwards. The MASKED MAN climbs through the window and crosses the room to flip on the lights.

 

Out in the hall PEGGY pauses.

 

PEGGY: Forgot my pocketbook.

 

PEGGY turns and the shot follows her.

 

DANIEL: Alright. I’ll meet you at the elevator. 

 

DANIEL and PEGGY smile at one another and PEGGY returns to the room.

 

Back inside the room the MASKED MAN hears PEGGY’S footsteps and winces. He slips behind the bathroom door, forgetting to turn off the light. The lock twitches for a few seconds. PEGGY enters the room and the camera watches from the MASKED MAN’s hiding spot. PEGGY reaches for the lightswitch absentmindedly and frowns.

 

PEGGY: I could have sworn I turned that off.

 

PEGGY grabs her pocketbook and pops the clasp, checking inside. She pulls out a small gun and smiles. 

 

PEGGY: There you are.

 

PEGGY looks around and frowns(3 seconds). The MASKED MAN holds his breath. PEGGY shakes her head and stows her gun in her pocketbook. She leaves. She flips off the light and locks the door behind her.

 

The MASKED MAN breathes a sigh of relief and exits the bathroom. He sits down on the bed and lets his head rest on his chest.

 

PEGGY jogs to meet DANIEL in the elevator. She hooks her arm through his and the door closes. He presses the button with his crutch and smiles.

 

DANIEL: Where are we going to dinner, Peggy?

 

PEGGY: We are going to a local place I heard about.

 

DANIEL: You have become more and more specific the longer we’ve been married.

 

PEGGY: As have you. Compartmentalization hurts all of us, Daniel.

 

DANIEL: But you know the most, Peg.

 

PEGGY: I do. As Director it is my job to.

 

DANIEL: Fair enough.

 

DANIEL and PEGGY exit the elevator and subsequently enter the lobby of the hotel. It is small but warmly lit, brightly colored.

  
(EXT)PEGGY opens the door and both walk down the street. People chat in the street and the glow of the lights all around PEGGY and DANIEL seem to give them a foreign, almost unfriendly, otherworldly glow. The music grows louder and faster, drums beating in the background as PEGGY and DANIEL walk by, arm in arm. 


	8. Scene 8

(INT) PEGGY opens another door and a little string of bells tinkles. The occupants of the little restaurant immediately stop talking and turn, very slowly to look at PEGGY and DANIEL. A man behind a long rough cut wooden bar pushes a cap back from his forehead. The cap says SAL’S on it in careful stitching.

 

SAL(AL):  You sure you and your boy are in the right place, sweetheart?

 

DANIEL: She might shoot you if you call her sweetheart again.

 

SAL puts his hands up, not in a gesture of surrender, but more of excitement, and one of his patrons whistles.

 

SAL: Where are you from, strangers?

 

SAL reaches over the bar to shake DANIEL’s hand heartily. He nods in PEGGY’s direction, at which she rolls her eyes and holds out her hand for him to shake. He nods and gives DANIEL thumbs up.

 

DANIEL: I’m from Manhattan, she’s from London. What’s good to eat in this place?

 

DUSTU AKA DUSTY:  Beer is okay. Fry bread is the best around.

 

Some of the men at the bar laugh, other’s raise their drinks, some just shake their heads.

 

PEGGY: Alright. We’ll have whatever you suggest.

 

DUSTY: Don’t worry. The food here is good and so is the booze. You’d do worse further away from the reservation.

 

PEGGY: Ask if Maya is in the kitchen.

 

DANIEL: So that’s your ulterior motive.

 

PEGGY: What? Finding agents for SHIELD with diverse backgrounds? What an absolute travesty.

 

A girl walks out of the kitchen. She is short and slender, bird boned and a little skinny, but obviously in her late teens. She wears her hair in twin braids. Her hat says SAL’S, but a little tag on her damp shirt says ECHO. MAYA LOPEZ slips a tray with a few small glasses on it onto their table.

 

MAYA: Here you go. 

 

PEGGY: What’s your accent?

 

SAL: It’s not really an accent. She’s deaf. She needs to be able to see you to hear you.

 

PEGGY gets MAYA’s attention once more with a small wave of her hand.

 

PEGGY: You speak though?

 

MAYA (nodding her head at SAL): Better than he does most of the time. 

 

PEGGY: You’re funny. Could you elaborate on the menu? We got the chef’s recommendation and didn’t really ask what that was.

 

MAYA:  It’s fry bread and stew. Not a whole lot to tell.

 

MAYA picks up the tray and walks away. DANIEL smiles and shoots one of the little glasses. He shudders and one of the men at the bar snorts with laughter.

 

PEGGY turns around to face MAYA. MAYA has her back to the pair, headed towards the kitchen.

 

PEGGY: I have another question for you, Maya.

 

SAL waves at MAYA and points her back in PEGGY’s direction. MAYA faces PEGGY.

 

MAYA: Yes?

 

PEGGY: Do you know who your father was?

 

MAYA almost drops the tray and PEGGY  grins wickedly.

 

MAYA: You know about my father?

 

PEGGY: It’s part of the reason I want to hire you.

 

MAYA: You want to hire me for what?

 

PEGGY: Have you ever heard of SHIELD?

 

MAYA: A shield? What are you talking about?

 

PEGGY: The Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division.

 

MAYA: Looks complicated.

 

PEGGY: You’re a smart young woman, and if you impress me I can give you a place.

 

MAYA: And if I don’t?

 

PEGGY: I don’t doubt your potential, Maya.

 

MAYA: Do you have a card?

 

PEGGY: I do.

 

PEGGY pulls a card out of her pocketbook and hands it to MAYA. MAYA smiles at her.

 

MAYA:  Thank you.

 

PEGGY:  No problem, Maya. I’ll see you tomorrow.

 

MAYA retreats into the kitchen and the camera catches her smile. SAL pats her on the back and takes off her hat to kiss her on the head. SAL ruffles his own hair and there are congratulations from all around.

 

Back at PEGGY and DANIEL’s table, various foods are laid out. PEGGY and DANIEL both dig in at first but PEGGY  slows down quickly. She covers her mouth and her eyes get very wide.

 

DANIEL: What’s wrong, Peg?

 

PEGGY: Nothing.

 

DANIEL goes back to eating and PEGGY looks increasingly pained. She takes a sip of water and scrunches her eyes closed.

 

DANIEL: Peggy… What is wrong?

 

PEGGY: Nothing. I’m fine.

 

DANIEL: Did you get a bad bite?

 

PEGGY: No. It’s delicious.

 

DANIEL: Then why are you crying?

 

DANIEL takes a drink.

 

PEGGY: It might be the tiniest bit spicy.

 

DANIEL does a spit take and bursts  out laughing.

 

PEGGY (coughing and laughing): Daniel Sousa, don’t you laugh at me!

 

DANIEL covers his mouth and keeps laughing. He wheezes and bends over the table.

 

PEGGY: I am English! A coney dog is exotic by my standards you judgemental bastard! Stop laughing.

 

PEGGY hits him with her napkin and SAL looks over, a look of mirth on his features.

 

DANIEL: Aw,  sweetheart. Don’t be angry. You’re red as a tomato and I can’t help it.

 

PEGGY stops slapping him with her napkin and composes herself. She takes another bite of the  apparently very spicy stew and closes her eyes tightly.

 

PEGGY: Oh god, this one is even worse.

 

PEGGY reaches for her water glass and DANIEL stops her. She looks at him, eyes wide and watering.

 

DANIEL: Don’t drink water. That makes it worse.

 

DANIEL turns to SAL.

 

DANIEL: Do you have any milk back there, Sal?

 

SAL: Only for your lovely wife, mister. And take a few bites of bread, lady!

 

The shot fades out to blackness and stars with SAL leaving for the kitchen and PEGGY and DANIEL laughing and crying.

 

(INT) The MASKED MAN closes the top drawer of the dresser in the hotel room and slips out the window again. A few seconds later PEGGY and DANIEL stumble through the door. DANIEL is still in stitches of laughter and PEGGY is half supporting him, half leaning on him.

 

PEGGY  loses her balance momentarily and slams her hip against the dresser.

 

PEGGY: Ouch!

 

DANIEL sits down heavily on the bed and shakes his head before looking at PEGGY. She rubs the spot that she hit frowns.

 

DANIEL: What’d you do, Peggy?

 

PEGGY: I just bumped my hip. 

 

DANIEL: Awww. Let me see.

 

PEGGY looks at him incredulously. She rests her hands on her hips and he beckons with a finger.

 

PEGGY: Are you trying to seduce me, Daniel?

 

DANIEL: Absolutely.

 

PEGGY bites her cheek to try and stop herself smiling.

 

PEGGY: Alright. 

 

PEGGY shrugs off her sweater and bites her lip playfully.

 

PEGGY: Seduce me, Mr. Sousa.

 

DANIEL: They do say I’m the one who’s good at seducing.

 

PEGGY: What?

 

DANIEL: How else would I have gotten a girl like you to look twice at me.

 

PEGGY: Excuse me, Agent Sousa. Do you know how much work it took to get you into my bed? I spent all my time for ages trying to train the good little Catholic boy out of you and get you to to take off your pants.

 

DANIEL: Peggy!

 

PEGGY: Getting you to snog me in the office was one thing. Getting you to take me to dinner and laugh at me while I was choking on spicy food, no. That was all easy. Getting you to kiss me for the length of an entire Marilyn Monroe film was a feat I should have won medals for, but if anyone in this room is a seductress, it is me.

 

DANIEL: Alright, Peg. You win.

 

PEGGY: Are you naked?

 

DANIEL: What!?

 

PEGGY: Are you naked, Daniel?

 

DANIEL: No.

 

PEGGY straddles his lap and kisses him long and slow.

 

PEGGY: Then I am not yet victorious.

 

DANIEL: Alright.

 

PEGGY: Are you going to let me win tonight?

 

DANIEL: Yeah. I like when you undo my buttons at the end of the night almost as much as I like it when you do them up before dinner.

 

PEGGY begins undoing his shirt, exposing his undershirt. She pauses to undo his tie and discard it over her shoulder.

 

PEGGY: I love you.

 

PEGGY kisses him once again and then pulls away. DANIEL strokes the soft skin of her throat and reaches around her back to cup her neck.

 

DANIEL:  And I love you.

 

PEGGY pauses for an excruciating moment. She bites her lip and a tear rolls down her face.

 

PEGGY (whispering): Even when I dream about him?

 

DANIEL: Especially when you dream about him, my darling girl.

 

DANIEL pulls her closer and kisses her. PEGGY rests her head on DANIEL’s shoulder. Fade out.


End file.
